Lewa conservancy and safari camp a place of the heart and soul

[COSMIC RHINO]

• the elephant grief  ceremony  was very, very  special  
• it did not take long   and  there were some tree branches around  it obscured the view of bit 
• I  immediately   could  see  what was  going on 
• all the  members  of the family  were close together ,very gentle with each other  and the  bones 
• this  was  one  of the  wonderful  things to happen in Isiolo valley  which  I  visited  a number of times  this trip 
• I  could  remember the precise spot  and looked carefully towards  it  when in the area , however  the elephant family was only  there once when  I was there 

 

at  Lewa   I  have  always  found the rhinos  to be  approachable   to some  extent,  white rhinos more so than black , Sonya is different to  the other black rhinos 

 

 

I  really love  rhinos  

 

it is  possible  to find   individual white rhinos   or groups  who  will get quiet close  , they move around a lot   within a small area   eating in a circular pattern  , they will at times almost be next to  the vehicle  ,  it is a  matter of waiting someone to raise their head  , see how they interact  with each other  including  calves  ,  and how they look in the landscape  

 

a  male  in the mood  for love  promotes  resistance  , that  is why they can  be in larger  groups,  more  to  tell the male  you  are not wanted now  ,please  go away  

 

it is great  listening  to  them  eating vegetation 

Edited June 30, 2019 by COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

There  are always  lots  rhino photos  , but  it is  a mater  of   deciding   which  to print  and  which ones to  send on for  posting

 

calves  are always  an attraction  especially  when they are  so small  

 

 

with  my sort  of lens  I  notice  a whole  lot of  things  which would normally  need binos  

 

this  year  not to be specific  I  noticed  that rhinos  have much better immunity  , well  they can take  in  and let go  of  moisture  at the  same creek  around  practically  identical  times      

Edited July 1, 2019 by COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

My  other guide  was Alex  who I  have  had before  he is very helpful  and well informed  

 

Dress according  to the time of year  

 

the vehicles are fully open,  great to look at things  but if it is cooler  a whole lot of cool air comes  on  

 

June  is decidedly  a bit cool  , take more than 1 fleece  , gloves  ,scarf etc  

 

 

April  /May  is quiet a good deal warmer  one fleece  plus  some  thermal  turtle necks  will do  

 

a sunhat will do  well enough  to keep cool air  away from  your head

 

scarf etc is  not needed  

Edited July 2, 2019 by COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

The  manager  speaks  to the people on each vehicle  as they return  to find out how  the drive went  

 

April/ May is  not  a busy time  of  year  but there were  some other people  in camp  

 

the couples with very small kids  largely  kept to themselves and were  not  for  much time

Edited July 2, 2019 by COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

as there  normally  is  a fair number   of the other  guests were  from  the USA

 

One  group was the extended family  of  a retired family  doctor and  a university TB  researcher  

 

I   found  it interesting to hear  them seated  at a table  and each person  would  talk  about  how they supported  each other

 

# there was  also  a younger US  couple  there  and  a retired  New Zealand  couple   there  

 

# according  to the  manager  , quiet  a few guests  from Lewa  Safari Camp  go onto the  very luxurious  Elephant  Bedroom  at  Samburu  as the next part  of their trip

Edited July 3, 2019 by COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

Although   there are not  many leopards  in the  reserve  , it  is possible  to see  them

 

In this  case I briefly  saw  a single  cat  with  only the  head  ,neck  and upper torso  showing  above  the  grass  and bushes  at  a time  when  the  light  was  starting  to fade  

[offshorebirder]

Sorry for the delay in posting this latest batch of photos @COSMIC RHINO.   I have been consumed for the past week with physically demanding and urgent conservation work that leaves me almost no free waking time apart from my day job. 

 

I think this is the first batch of photos without a Rhino!   But an excellent set indeed - nice variety and subjects.

 

This is a very pale adult Plains Zebra.   I don't know if it is partially leucistic or simply a case of arrested development, since Zebra foals are a similar shade of light brown.

 

 

This appears to be two Dung Beetles vying for a ball of dung.  There appears to be a tiny beetle (not sure if it's a species of dung beetle) to the left of the upper beetle.

 

 

Here is one making off with its prize

 

This is a lovely scene with a mother and calf Giraffe

 

 

Here are a couple of Beisa Oryx photos;  the second has appears to have two young ones of differing ages. 

 

 

 

And some Eland

 

 

 

I think these are Grant's Gazelles, but I cannot see the facial markings well. 

 

 

 

And some nice Somali Ostrich shots to end with:

 

 

 

[COSMIC RHINO]

If you  are not  seeking a  whole of cats Lewa  offers a good variety of animals

 

Grant's  gazelles  are in the more northern  districts  and a bit darker in colour  

 

the  dung beetles  were  a real surprise  , they  just happened  to be on the  side  of the track

 

the  male  ostriches  were  in a mood for  a bit of dancing  practice  ,  but nothing too  serious  

 

the best  dancers  gets the lady  

 

both  the  unusual  plains zebra  and  the  mother  and  calf  giraffe came on the  final morning    

Edited July 8, 2019 by COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

once again  I  saw a  Lewa  school  out on an environmental  education  game drive  

 

all were in school  uniform  and neatly dressed  , and accompanied  by their  teacher   

 

some of them  had their I pads  ready to take  photos  

 

this time it was  a secondary school  

 

at times  the vehicle goes  on a road  past the  village  

 

once  the  primary school  was  out on recess  and said  good morning how are  you

 

they  were appreciating  the effort  Lewa   puts into  caring for the  community   

[COSMIC RHINO]

My camera  is always at  the ready , I  wear  it  like a necklace  and often clean it with a lenspen 

 

speaking with  Sacha  the camp manager  both  Air Kenya  and Safarilink  are tough  on the 15kg  baggage  limit  

 

that is for  everything checked bag , hand luggage  and lady's  handbags

 

I  am  always to leave for the game drive on time  

 

the  last morning is simple  , I am pre packed   as  nearly  nothing  stays out of my bag  ,  things  are used  then go back  into the  bag

 

So there is  a good game drive,  picnic breakfast  then  airstrip transfer  , the  vehicle always  waits for the  plane to leave  

 

I  am used to the area around  the air strip and will move  things  between my bags  when the vehicle  is getting near 

[COSMIC RHINO]

I  keep   my  camera batteries  well charged  , it uses  AA  batteries  

 

the  charger works  fast  in the tent    , it  is meant to take 2 hours  but  takes  well under  1 hour  

 

that is for  most of the trip  , then  towards  the end of  my stay  I get  problems with  the charger  , the  pilot   lights  don't  start  easily  ,then  the thing  totally  fails  on me  

 

well at least  the  batteries  I  have are lasting well

 

I  see  the manager  , they  are going to the  nearby town of  Nanyuki   in a few  days time  and will look  for  me

 

well  it is  not easy  to find  a charger  there, it  was a matter of looking in many places  and only a supermarket  had anything on offer  

 

what  I  have   now   a energizer  2 battery  charger  which  takes 7 to 9 hours  to charge  

 

my camera  uses 4 batteries  

 

well  the tent charging  works great  ,  on the  storage battery  at night  it takes  only 20 to  30 minutes  for fully  discharged 

 

So things  are charging  again thanks to this help

 

 

at the  end of the process  both  the charger  and batteries  are cool ,  the former charger  had  warm batteries  and  a very warm  adapter  plug  when  fully charged

 

this  all makes me think  of  taking more batteries  and a spare  charger  next year  , which  means  leaving  other  things behind

Edited July 10, 2019 by COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

The camp  manager Sacha  has  an interesting  background  general  park ranger  at mana  pools  , park security  ranger  at  Matosodona  ,  camp  guide  at Hwange  , Zambia  ,  many  years  camp  manager  in Selous  game  reserve

 

he is always  interesting to talk  to and very friendly

 

the  return flight arrived  at the announced  time  with  a stop at the  MT  Kenya  wildlife  estate  to collect  more  passengers  

 

I was  less  than impressed that  they were at least  20 minutes  late  

 

back to Nairobi  , Botswana  beckons